Bartered Life
by White9angel
Summary: They were sworn enemies yet they don't know that. They were sent to kill each other. One, to avenge and the other, to simply put an end to it. But caught up in the web of lies and treachery, they learned to depend on each other…


Summary: They were sworn enemies yet they don't know that. They were sent to kill each other. One, to avenge and the other, to simply put an end to it. But caught up in the web of lies and treachery, they learned to depend on each other…

* * *

Nothing can be heard from the room except the silent footsteps of the man as he moved around to reach his coat. At the center of the bed is a naked female, not already a girl and not quite a woman yet. His estimate of her age ranged from eighteen to twenty. They met around five months ago at the suburb. She came to him when he was drinking alone in the bar below.

He reached for his gun hidden from her or anyone who entered the room which was always reserved for him.

"You're leaving already?" she asked in a pout, her right elbow resting on the bed, her long auburn hair covered little of her breast. She is a tempting beauty and he had no doubt many had wanted to have her. She had the face of an innocent angel and yet not quite so. For behind that innocence lies a scheming persona.

He did not answer. She pouted. "You're always so…" she trailed off when he looked at her with his void green eyes and somehow it came to her so suddenly. That he knew. She blinked as her mind started working. "…how did you know?" she gulped.

"…" he only stared her down. Without second thoughts, the female rolled from the bed and onto the floor as her hand reached for the gun she hid beneath the covers. She will not die here. Not when she worked so hard and came this far.

When she fired, the last word she heard was an icy farewell as she was met with a bullet in the head. With blurry sight, she watched as the man came to check on her with his unfeeling eyes. Five months…she played his lover to get some important information…

As her eyes started to close, she thought of the friend she promised to meet at the same place tonight. _Rukia…_._forgive me for everything…_

He pulled the cover and threw it over her bloody body before he stepped out of the room and headed down the bar. For a bar, it sounded awfully quiet. Then again, this place only serves as a Haven to people who wanted to enjoy a quiet drink.

"Done already?" the bartender and the owner of the place, asked calmly as he cleaned the glass with white clothe.

Ulquiorra gave a curt nod and walked towards the counter. The bartender poured vodka into the empty glass and offered it. "It's a boring task," he muttered and drank it straight before turning on his heels to leave.

"What is her name?"

"She called herself a princess," was the dry answer. "Inoue Orihime." He shook his head once in disgust. "I'd be leaving the mess to you, Starrk."

"Clean it up yourself, Ulquiorra. Answer one question. Who is she?"

"A pawn of that stupid gang who called themselves the Reapers." His eyes sharpened when his ears caught the scream of a woman from upstairs. Since the bar was only filled with quiet laughter from the customers, the woman's scream reverberated all across.

"No!"

He looked up as people started to move around in curiosity and interest. His eyes momentarily locked up with Starrk before he continued to walk away from the ensuing panic. The biting cold wafted his face as he stepped into the rain in that dark night.

* * *

Rukia had been hanging around the area for a while now and is becoming impatient. Her friend told her to meet here. She said she's going to introduce someone. Growing intolerant, she decided to look around the second floor of the building. She wondered if this place is a motel or a bar or both. The second floor offers a place to spend the night with or without anyone while the first floor served as the bar.

She was probably on the eleventh room when she decided to ring her friend. She thought she heard her mobile ringing nearby so she followed it. She caught sight of a black coat billowing as the man turned to the corner that led downstairs. Initially curious, she thought of following him when she realized that her friend's mobile is ringing. She knew Orihime's ringing tone very well since it was her friend's own voice singing there.

That's when she saw it. Blood. And when she went inside to help, she was horrified to learn it was her friend.

"No!" she cried out in panic and terror before she remembered the man with the black coat. Not giving herself time to mourn or call for help, she ran downstairs as she was met with people who rushed upstairs after her scream. When she reached downstairs and looked around, she saw no one with that coat.

"Have you seen a man with a black coat?" she asked the bartender who was not bothered at the growing panic.

He looked up and shook his head lightly. "He has already left," was the honest answer.

She sprinted outside but was only met with nothing but darkness. She looked around but saw no man with the coat. Disappointed and angry, she returned to the Arrancar's Bar with a defeated look. She had no doubt it was that man who did that to her friend.

"Have you seen him?" the bartender asked. "A few patrols have come to check on the place after receiving a call from the customers. They are upstairs."

"I swear it's that man," she muttered. "Do you know how he looks like?" she asked, ridding herself of the grief. She can cry later. She needed to know about that man first.

The man smiled a little. "I'm afraid I don't. Don't chase after him missy."

She blinked. "I wasn't – "

"You're planning to. Because of that woman who died upstairs. I heard about that guy but never truly saw his real face. He had so many that he was named the Chameleon. Heed my warning. Death befalls those who chase after him."

Rukia did not answer and ran upstairs instead only to shriek when someone grabbed her from the corner. Her shriek went unheard when her mouth was covered with a large hand.

"I know who killed your friend."

Shocked, she tilted her head to find a dark man staring at her. "This place is not safe for us to talk. I am Zomari, a friend of Orihime. If you are willing to listen, I will tell you about the guy who killed her."

She contemplated whether to believe him or not. But thinking of her friend, she finally nodded her head. She owed it to Orihime. Because Orihime hid her from her family when she decided to run away.

* * *

She scooped a handful of dirt as she sat on her heels. Her violet eyes stared at the stone that bear her friend's name. Five years ago, Orihime died a month before their graduation. Of course different stories circulated around especially the fact that she died in a motel room. Many said she's such a whore. Had she showed herself to the police that night, she might have been on the news too and her family probably had found out where she was. But it was thanks to Zomari that she got away from that. And it was also thanks to him and the group called Reapers that she learned to defend on her own. All for the purpose of killing one man whose identity she cannot really tell. For until now, he remained a mystery and is only known as the Chameleon.

"I'm stronger now, Orihime. I won't stop looking for that man even if it means killing more men in the process," she spoke. "It's not like I enjoyed killing people but it was necessary for me to get stronger. I had nothing when you died. Not a family name to carry anymore. You offered me home when I had none and I will forever be grateful for that. So just rest there alright? I will deliver his head to you when I find him," she promised and stood up. She placed a paper flower over the stone and walked away towards the car that awaited her.

As she drove, she couldn't help but look back on the past before she became the Butterfly killer. She was Kuchiki Rukia, adopted sister of Kuchiki Byakuya – scion of the Kuchiki conglomerate. Due to the reason that she came from an unrecognized family, Rukia was treated like dirt by the elders. When her sister died, she promised she would endure for Byakuya.

She promised she would. She loved her brother dearly. She was the constant in her world. But even he pushed her away, unable to deal with the grief brought upon by Hisana's death. Rukia was just fifteen that time. Byakuya was the only member of the family who defied family codes and thus he decided to marry at an early age just to spite his elders. He was nineteen while Rukia was twelve and a half then. He was twenty one when Hisana passed away.

She shook her head at the small recollection. At age seventeen, Rukia ran away from home and left not a single word to her brother. Not even a word of goodbye. It was because she could no longer stand being in a family that treated her like trash. She can no longer stand seeing her brother slowly pushing her away as he focused more on expanding the business left by his parents. She believed she had no one within that family that cares so she ran away with the money she saved for years. It wasn't enough to let her live alone but enough to make her leave the city and run away with her friend, Orihime.

What helped her move around freely was probably the fact that no news about her ever circulated the country. She expected it at most but she felt saddened that her brother truly forgot about her. She shed away her family name and adopted Inoue as her surname. She can no longer remember the family name she used to carry before she became Kuchiki.

She gasped in shock when she realized she was crying. She remembered that she never cried again after her sister died. Hell, she tried so hard to cry for her friend but her tears would not come out. Despite how strong her emotions were, tears wouldn't come out. And now…

The loud honk from in front brought her back to her current state and she was horrified to realize she's driving fast and towards the wrong direction. A black sports car was making its way straight to her. At the sight of the sports car, she momentary remembered another person from the past.

"Damn it," she cursed and maneuvered the wheels to the left but with the speed, it was too late and her car hit the speeding black car. A loud crash followed as the two collided in a deep impact and Rukia was quick to put herself to safety.

_It hurts_, she thought to herself as she realized it was over and she was left with a bleeding head while she remained inside the car. The car was turned upside down and it was fortunate she did not get herself stuck to any parts of the car.

She felt a little groggy but she refused to give in. She blinked and stared at the sky. _It's a clear sky…_she remained looking up as the voices around her sounded so distant away. _Nii-sama…gomena…_she thought before her world turned black. But before that, she remembered seeing a pair of void, green eyes staring down at her. And she can only give him a look of regret. _Ulquiorra._

* * *

"Ah, man, look what you've done, Nnoitra," a blue-haired man griped as he sat on his heels to stare at the woman in the car. "She's conscious and yet not quite so."

"You were the one who challenged me for a race so don't put the blame on me bastard. Besides, she was on the wrong road," Nnoitra growled, not even bothered about his wounds. He was quick to jump down from the car before the hit.

"Let's get her out of that car already," Ichigo suggested lazily. "Oi, Ulquiorra – " Ichigo stopped when said guy was already leaning down on the woman. He merely stared at her before he sighed and motioned for Ichigo to help him up as Grimmjow and Nnoitra were busy arguing over whose fault was it.

"Bring her to the hospital and follow us after," he told Ichigo.

The guy who dyed his hair orange scowled. "Who gave you the right to order me around?" he growled in annoyance.

"I'm the acting officer here. You only have an hour to spare," he stated in nonchalance.

"That title was revoked already," Nnoitra muttered.

"It was revoked when we left the country for a year. Among all of us, I still hold authority when we return, now get moving. We're wasting time," he said and turned on his heel.

Ichigo's scowl deepened as he watched Ulquiorra climb the other car. "I swear to God I'm going to beat the pulp out of him when annoyed."

"Say that after you can beat him," Grimmjow snorted. "Now get going already."

* * *

The Black Berets was a secret intelligence agency that does the dirty works for the government. The former Director was Kisuke Urahara who recruited most of the elite members. And among the elites are guys who lust for battle and bloodshed.

Ulquiorra Schiffer is among the elite members. His form of fighting is instant kill. He isn't a sadist who enjoys torturing. He's not also a savage who only loves to kill. He simply does his job and be done with it. His longest cover was probably that when he met the person named the princess.

His pattern of thoughts was distracted when the new Director arrived together with the other elite members. Their eyes indicated surprise when they found Ulquiorra calmly sitting on his chair while Grimmjow and Nnoitra were having a heated conversation at the corner.

"We did not expect you to arrive so soon, Ulquiorra," Aizen commented.

"The earlier the better. I want this to get over with so I can have my peace," came the sharp answer as his eyes fixed on the two men arguing over the corner.

The others chuckled. "Nothing changed about you."

"As to all of you," Ulquiorra replied back.

Aizen motioned the others to seat and started briefing them with the current events. The briefing was more for the sake of Ulquiorra, Grimmjow and Nnoitra as well as Ichigo who will be arriving soon. "The higher echelons had asked us to look into these matters. It's almost a decade since the constant battle with the Reapers. The earlier years had been gruesome and we can't deny that we lost many comrades in their hands." He shook his head at the momentary sentiment before flashing some images of gruesome kills. "The higher ups believe that it's finally the Berets job to settle this matter once and for all. Especially with the appearance of the Butterfly Killer."

"Butterfly Killer?" Nnoitra repeated, his eyes reflecting interest.

Aizen nodded. "Yes. We believe she is highly connected with the Reapers. And within a year since her appearance, she had about more than two hundred kills already. What is common about her method is that she always made it a point to leave a paper in the shape of a butterfly, hence the name, Butterfly Killer."

"She?" Ulquiorra raised his brow. "How sure are you it is a woman?"

"A hundred percent sure. After all, her first victim was purposely left alive to deliver a message. The man can only be sure about one thing – that the killer is a woman. But beyond that, he cannot identify anything. Not even a face."

"Heh, a woman did all those? Interesting," Grimmjow said with bloodlust in his eyes. "I'd like to hunt her."

The Director shook his head. "Much as I want to give you this, I'm afraid the case is on Ulquiorra."

"Why him?"

"Because the message she had ordered to be delivered was meant for you – I'll find and kill you, Chameleon."

All throughout, Ulquiorra remained stoic as he stared at the victims. His eyes were blank. "Interesting."

"I am sure you noticed more than the butterfly cuts."

"The method…"

"…is that of Ulquiorra's trademark. She kills with a bullet in the head."

"What grudge does she have against you? She seemed hell-bent on imitating your trademark."

"Who knows," he answered with a shrug. He then stood up and gathered the papers Aizen placed in his table. "I'd be going ahead."

"Find and kill the Butterfly Killer. According to her message, she always made it a point to send one by the way, her next victim will be Senator Kariya Jin."

"Well if she announces her next kills, why is she not caught until now?" Nnoitra asked in curiosity.

"Because she is good at what she does," Aizen answered. They all watched as Ulquiorra stepped out of the room.

The female with green hair spoke for the first time. "Is it wise to send him after her?"

Aizen nodded. "No one is better suited for that than him," he answered. "It will be an interesting fight – the Chameleon against the Butterfly."

"Ah ah, you're going into that bad habit of yours again, Aizen," Hirako Shinji shook his head. "I wouldn't be surprised if he will eliminate you next. You're nefarious at times."

"I'd always like to see him heat up. He's never been like Grimmjow and Nnoitra. He always finished his tasks with boredom. So I'd like to see him fired up."

Shinji sighed. "But sending him after her might just be for the best. She ended up killing five of our elites already. We also need to know who is providing the Reapers information about our identities."

* * *

She groaned and slowly opened her eyes while she tried to ignore the pain. When she tried to remember what happened, the throbbing only gets worse so she decided to abandon the idea of analyzing what happened.

"I see you are awake."

She blinked at the vaguely familiar voice. "U-Ulquiorra," despite not meaning so, her voice cracked a little as painful reminder of the past tried to invade her mind. She tilted her head to have a look at him properly. His posture never changed. He still has the habit of tucking his hands inside his pocket.

She met him two years ago and had a serious relationship with him. He was a celebrated sports car racer until he vanished from the limelight a year ago. They started living together after he invited her to live with him. She refused at first considering how he is always the media's apple of the eye. She cannot risk being exposed to the media because the Kuchiki might hear about it. She doesn't want to tarnish the name that she cherished. Despite everything else, she loved the home she made with her brother.

Eventually, she agreed when he gave his word that her identity will remain a secret. She loved this man. Perhaps even love him until now. But he left without a word. Not even a farewell. Just like how she did when she ran away from home. She remembered the painful feeling, the regret…and she asked herself if it was the same for her brother. It probably was. After all, getting nothing, not much of a farewell, is the worse.

"Hello, Rukia," even his tone never changed. It was still flat and devoid of emotions. But she learned to read him well. He was the one who even commented on it once – that she's the first person to read him well despite knowing less about his background. She felt proud that time.

She tried to sit up so she could face him better. "It's best you don't force yourself. I merely came to check on you."

He started to move and she realized he's already starting to leave. Just like two years ago, he would leave this room without much of a farewell. "W-Wait…why?" she asked.

"…"

"Why did you leave?"

"Because I had to. And I came to check on you because I had to."

She finally sat up and gave him an enraged look. "And you're walking out of this room because you also had to?!"

He merely slanted his head to give her that look that she was never used to – the blank look. "Yes." And he opened the door.

She loved that man despite his cold attitude. She doesn't know how she came to love him deeply that when he left, she was left with no choice but to continue with her plan to avenge Orihime. She supposed if he did not leave, her plan for vengeance might have been abandoned. But he did. And that's why she became the Butterfly Killer.

She is a nobody and she had nothing – not even a name to lose. She vowed never to fall for a man and simply pursue her Reaper role – that of which to kill their sworn enemies. Especially the Chameleon.

She choked back the tears as she stared at the door. It's probably for the best. And it's probably the last she'd see of him. She stepped down from the bed, not minding her wounds. She had a man to kill. She cannot linger here nor on the past regrets.


End file.
